WSU’s Shalom Luani and Gabe Marks invited to NFL Combine

Originally published February 15, 2017 at 10:23 am
Updated February 15, 2017 at 10:29 am

Huskies wide receiver John Ross fumbles the ball after being hit by Washington State Cougars safety Shalom Luani during the second quarter. The Cougars recovered the ball. (Johnny Andrews / The Seattle Times)

Gabe Marks and Shalom Luani were invited to the NFL Scouting Combine

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Washington State will have two representatives at the NFL Scouting Combine that kicks off in Indianapolis on Feb. 28. Receiver Gabe Marks and safety Shalom Luani were both on the official Combine invitation list that was released Wednesday morning.

Marks, 22, was a four-year starter for WSU who set career record holder for receptions (316), touchdowns (37) and receiving yards (3,453). He’s the Pac-12’s all-time leader in receptions and a two-time first team All-Pac-12 selection.

Luani transferred to WSU from City College of San Francisco prior to the 2015 season and made an immediate impact in the defensive secondary, earning the starting spot at free safety. As a two-year starter, Luani totaled 148 tackles and he finished his senior season with a team-high four interceptions and was second on the defense with 8.5 TFL.

Luani is the first WSU safety to garner a combine invitation since Deone Bucannon in 2014. The 6-foot, 205-pound defensive back from Samoa played both free safety and nickelback for WSU in 2016, and has the versatility play either position in the NFL, or to potentially make a transition to the “money backer” hybrid linebacker/safety role that Bucannon plays for the Arizona Cardinals.

Marks signed with agent Tony Fleming of Impact Sports Management and is now training at Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Luani signed with agent Michael Hoffman and is training at EXOS San Diego.

The receivers arrive in Indianapolis on March 1 and will work out for scouts on March 4. The defensive backs arrive March 3 and do on-field workouts on March 6.

Stefanie Loh: sloh@seattletimes.com; on Twitter: @StefanieLoh. Stef Loh has covered college football in four conferences on both coasts, but her heart has always been rooted in the Pacific Northwest. She joined The Seattle Times in August 2015. She loves wine tasting, Olympic weightlifting, fall colors and college football Saturdays.